1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vehicular windows, and more particularly to a power operated rear window assembly for a truck cab.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has become increasingly popular with sportsmen, vacationers, and the like in recent years to mount a housing or enclosure, sometimes referred to as a camper, on the bed of a pickup or other type of light duty truck. These campers are most often utilized for living purposes and particularly as a shelter providing a place to sleep and store provisions. A common type of camper now in widespread use, is a generally rectangular structure which is mounted on the bed of the pickup truck to the rear of the cab thereof. This type of camper is provided with a forward wall which extends vertically in close proximity to the vertically extending rear panel of the truck cab.
This arrangement has shown the need for communication between the interior of the truck cab and the interior of the camper, and this is often accomplished by removing the rear window of the cab entirely and providing an aligned window opening in the forward wall of the camper so that the occupants of the cab and the camper may see each other through these openings, and may converse, and, if desired, pass various articles back and forth between the two enclosed spaces.
Providing a communication passage between the truck cab and the camper enclosure poses problems from several standpoints. For example, complete removal of the truck's rear window presents a problem in that temporary or periodic removal of the camper leaves a gaping hole in the rear panel of the truck which cannot be closed short of reinstalling the rear window which is no menial task. Another problem with removal of the truck's rear window is that it is oftentimes desirable to close the passage between the cab and the camper for noise, isolation purposes. to prevent exchanges of heat or cooling therebetween, and the like.
These problems resulting from complete removal of the truck's rear window has prompted the replacement of the fixed window with a laterally sliding window assembly. Although easing the problems a great deal, the sliding window assembly has not completely solved all of the problems in that a sliding window assembly inherently cannot provide an opening which is larger than one half of the total window area. Thus, the communication passage between the truck's cab and camper is limited in size.
Another problem arising from the use of a sliding window assembly in the rear of a truck's cab is the lack of operating convenience and safety. The operator of the vehicle cannot safely open and/or close the sliding window assembly while driving in that the window is behind him which necessitates taking at least one hand off of the vehicle's steering wheel, twisting in the seat, and many times in opening or closing such a window assembly, the operator will take his eyes off of the road on which he is travelling.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved rear window assembly for a truck cab which overcomes some of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art.